How long does it take to become spiritually mature? Answer: it is an ongoing process, and God guides us through that process by stages. The Lord led Abraham to the land of Canaan and promised that he and his descendants would live there. But immediately afterward, Abraham was forced to move south, to the land... Continue Reading →
Patriarchs and Matriarchs
The Amidah, a prayer that is central to Jewish worship, invokes the memory of three significant men known as the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In some reformed Jewish congregations, the matriarchs—Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel—are also mentioned. (See "Full Text of the First Blessing of the Amidah," on myjewishlearning.com.) The word "patriarch" appears only... Continue Reading →
“All the Plenty Shall Be Forgotten”
When Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dreams, he explained not only the events which the dreams foretold but also the effect of those events on the people. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten... Continue Reading →
Glory
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.Psalm 24:9-10 What is glory? The word appears 225 times in the King James Version of the Old Testament,... Continue Reading →
The Living Christ and the Book of Mormon
The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles is a proclamation published by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 1 January 2000. The document speaks of the Savior's mission before birth, during His mortal ministry, and after His death and resurrection, including in our day. It also testifies that He... Continue Reading →
Mother Eve
Among the biblical characters Joseph F. Smith saw in his vision of the Redemption of the Dead, was "our glorious Mother Eve" (Doctrine and Covenants 138:39). In the Hebrew Bible, her name appears as Chavvah (חַוָּה), which means "life." She was given this name because she was "the mother of all living," or in other... Continue Reading →
The Ancient of Days
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.Job 12:12 There are many reasons for us to love and respect Adam and Eve. As the first man and woman on the earth, they pioneered the way for us, learning by experience so many things which we take for granted.They made our mortal experience possible, making... Continue Reading →
All Things Work Together for Good
After affirming that we are children of God, and therefore His heirs, the apostle Paul testified that the afflictions and sorrows we endure will be overshadowed by the joy God has promised to the faithful. It's true that our perspective is limited. We don't always even know what to pray for. But a perfect Father... Continue Reading →
That They Might Have Joy
If you can have hope for the future, then you can have joy today. When Lehi taught his son Jacob that men (and women) "are that they might have joy," he wasn't talking about an easy life, free from adversity. There must be "opposition in all things," he said. Jacob himself had endured significant trials,... Continue Reading →
“My Law”
On the surface, the word "law" sounds like something that is imposed upon us, something that we are forced to obey, on pain of punishment. Book of Mormon prophets do in fact emphasize that there are consequences for disobeying the law. Lehi describes "the punishment which is affixed," in contrast with "the happiness which is... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 